The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced the names
of the first accredited entities who will certify organic
production and handling operations to comply with National
Organic Program (NOP) standards.
This is an important step in the launch of the USDA organic
program to provide greater marketing choice in the supermarket,
said Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman.
Oct. 21, 2002, is the deadline to ensure that all qualified
organic production and handling operations are certified to use
the USDA organic seal on fresh and processed products.
The new organic standards offer a national definition for the
term "organic." It details the methods, practices and substances
that can be used in producing and handling organic crops and
livestock, as well as processed products.
All agricultural products labeled organic must originate from
farms or handling operations certified by a state or private
agency accredited by USDA. Farms and handling operations that
sell less than $5,000 worth per year of organic agricultural
products are exempt from certification
The following entities have been accredited, but must
complete a successful site audit, or meet other specified
conditions within 120 days:
28 Private Domestic Accredited Certifying Agents:
- California Certified Organic Farmers
- California Organic Farmers Association
- Fertilizer & Seed Certification Svcs (South Carolina)
- Georgia Crop Improvement Association
- Global Organic Alliance (Ohio)
- Guaranteed Organic Certification Agency (California)
- Hawaii Organic Farmers Association
- Indiana Certified Organic
- Integrity Certified International (Nebraska)
- International Certification Services, Inc (North Dakota)
- Maharishi Vedic Organic Agriculture Institute (Iowa)
- Marin County (California)
- Midwest Organic Services Association (Wisconsin)
- Minnesota Crop Improvement Association
- Monterey County Certified Organic (California)
- NOFACMassachusetts [Northeast Organic Farming Association]
- NOFACNew Jersey
- NOFACNew York Limited Liability Corp
- Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association
- Organic Certifiers (California)
- Organic Crop Improvement Association (Nebraska)
- Organic Forum International (Minnesota)
- Oregon Tilth
- Pennsylvania Certified Organic
- Quality Assurance International (California)
- Quality Certification Services (Florida)
- Scientific Certification Systems (California)
- Stellar Certification Services (New York)
10 State Accredited Certifying Agents:
- Idaho Department of Agriculture
- Iowa Department of Agriculture
- Maryland Department of Agriculture
- Montana Department of Agriculture
- New Hampshire Department of Agriculture
- New Mexico Organic Commodity Commission
- Texas Department of Agriculture
- Utah Department of Agriculture
- Virginia Department of Agriculture
- Washington State Department of Agriculture
4 Foreign Accredited Certifying Agents:
- BCSCOkeo Garantie Gmbh (Germany)
- BioLatina (Peru)
- Canadian Organic Certification Cooperative, Ltd
- ECOCERT (France and Germany)
Other applications are under final review, pending submission
of additional information requested by USDA.
Entities not approved in the first round still will be
evaluated and considered for accreditation. New accreditations,
along with any specified conditions that must be met, will be
posted weekly on the National Organic Program web site at
